Agricultural Management Assistance Act of 2026

This bill would expand the Agricultural Management Assistance program by increasing available funding and raising the payment limit for farmers to $200,000 over five years. It proposes to broaden eligible uses for financial assistance to include soil health improvements, sustainable water development, composting, and food safety certification. Additionally, the legislation would extend program eligibility to federal crop insurance providers, specifically those offering Whole-Farm Revenue Protection plans.

This bill affects agricultural producers located in 16 designated states where participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program has historically been low. It specifically impacts farmers seeking financial assistance for soil health, water source development, composting, and food safety certification, while increasing the individual payment limit to $200,000 over five years. Additionally, the legislation expands eligibility to include federal crop insurance providers, with a focus on those offering Whole-Farm Revenue Protection plans.

• Expansion of eligible conservation and risk mitigation practices. The bill adds soil health improvements, composting, and the development of sustainable water sources and irrigation to the list of practices eligible for financial assistance. These additions are intended to help producers reduce the risk of financial loss caused by the regional impacts of climate change.
• Support for food safety certification. The legislation specifies that program funds intended to mitigate financial risk through production or marketing diversification may be used to obtain food safety certification.
• Adjustment of payment limitations and funding. The bill provides additional funding for the program and modifies the payment limit for farmers to $200,000 over a five-year period, replacing the current limit of $50,000 per year.
• Broadened eligibility for assistance. Eligibility for assistance under the program is expanded to include federal crop insurance providers, with a specific focus on providers of Whole-Farm Revenue Protection plans.

This bill expands and revises the existing Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) programs, which currently operate in 16 designated states. It modifies the program's financial assistance rules by broadening eligible conservation uses, increasing the five-year payment limitation for farmers from $50,000 per year to $200,000 total, and extending eligibility to federal crop insurance providers.

This bill aims to expand and revise Agricultural Management Assistance programs to help producers manage financial risk through natural resource conservation, marketing, and diversification. It specifically seeks to mitigate financial losses related to climate change and food safety while increasing funding and eligibility for the program.